Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical manipulator for use in laparoscopic surgery, for example.
Description of the Related Art
In recent years, attention has been drawn to laparoscopic surgery for removal of the appendix and gall bladder, without opening the abdominal cavity, rather than abdominal surgery. During laparoscopic surgery, it is customary to insert four trocars, for example, through the abdominal wall and into the abdominal cavity, to monitor the abdominal cavity with a small camera inserted through one of the trocars, and to manipulate forceps, scissors, an electrosurgical knife, etc., inserted through the other trocars in order to perform a surgical operation on the affected part in the abdominal cavity.
The applicant has proposed a surgical instrument (medical manipulator) for use in such laparoscopic surgery. The proposed surgical instrument comprises a long instrument body and a tip end portion, which can be rotated with respect to the long instrument body, for bringing a medical working unit on the tip end portion into a desired attitude while keeping the medical working unit close to a body region to be surgically treated. For details, reference should be made to Japanese Patent No. 3421117.
The medical manipulator is required to allow the surgeon to perform various appropriate techniques quickly depending on the position and size of the affected part, for removing, suturing, and tying-knot the affected part. According to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2002-102248 and 2004-301275, there have been proposed medical manipulators, which can be manipulated simply, with a high degree of freedom.
The medical manipulator disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3421117, for example, allows the operator to manipulate a rotary manipulating member to directly rotate the medical working unit on the tip end portion. It has been desired that the medical manipulator be operable with greater ease, in order to perform appropriate techniques quickly depending on the position and size of the affected part.